* CreatorBacklash: Brian Garfield, the author of the original novel, sued the filmmakers for twisting the source material (ironically, the point of Garfield's novel was that vigilante tactics ''weren't'' the solution). You can probably guess from the four subsequent sequels that he lost.* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Development of this film was turned-down by other Hollywood movie studios due to its contentious, controversial and sensitive subject matter involving vigilantism, pack-rape, and crime.* WhatCouldHaveBeen: ** Creator/BurtLancaster, Creator/GeorgeCScott and Music/FrankSinatra were offered the role of Paul Kersey, but backed out.** The role of Paul Kersey was originally meant for Creator/SteveMcQueen, who turned it down.** Creator/SidneyLumet was set to direct the film with Creator/JackLemmon playing Paul Kersey (presumably to be more in line with the "everyman" character in the book) and Creator/HenryFonda as the police chief. After Lumet chose to direct ''Film/{{Serpico}} instead, both Lemmon and Fonda dropped out. ** At one point the movie was set to be shot in black-and-white.** Creator/LeeMarvin was another candidate for Paul Kersey.** The killing in the subway station was supposed to remain off-screen in the script, but Creator/MichaelWinner himself decided to turn this into an actual, brutal scene.** The early draft of the script had the vigilante being inspired by seeing a fight scene in ''Film/HighNoon''. Winner decided on a more elaborate scene, involving a fight scene in a recreation of the Wild West, taking place in Tucson, Arizona.** After the success of ''Film/DirtyHarry'', Creator/ClintEastwood was offered the role of Paul Kersey but declined, feeling he would be poorly cast. He also thought that Creator/GregoryPeck would have been right for the part.* WorkingTitle: Dino De Laurentiis and Paramount originally wanted to call the film ''The Sidewalk Vigilante'' because they thought a movie with "Death" in the title was a deterrent and would put audiences off.